10 Reasons
By Jane Johnson
Because … we have treasures like Peg and Gary Griffin, who put their hearts and souls into making the Tallahassee Marathon (and everything else they do) a first class event for the club, for every participant and every spectator.
Because … while many towns don’t even have off road running trails, in Tallahassee you can literally get lost on the miles of off road trails around Lake Jackson – and that’s just one of many off-road options here.
Because … now matter how extreme you may get about your running, thanks to rugged souls like Dana Stetson, Gary Griffin, Kate McFall, Felton Wright, Jeff Bryan, David Yon et al, there will always be someone else who has done far more in far worse conditions – and your supposed fanaticism is instantly relegated to the mainstream.
Because … when you are a long distance runner, you will probably never take for granted something as simple as having ten “completely intact” toenails.
Because … there is nothing like spring in Tallahassee – with its cool mornings and warm afternoons, and vibrant azaleas everywhere you turn (of course, you have to overlook the accompanying pollen overdose and inevitable head colds that come along with the change in seasons) – but it does make for great running.)
Because … if it weren’t for their common interest in ultra running, how else would the unlikely training duo of Dana Stetson and Kate McFall have been formed?
Because … we have Fred Deckert, a veritable institution in the running community, who plays an invaluable role as newspaper columnist, race director, age group winner, stickler for details and most importantly, sidekick of the inimitable Margarete Deckert.
Because … you can run the Flash 12k and almost get taken out by the cars and trucks along the course – but rather than tarnish the experience, the close calls only make the event more exciting – and make for great post-race stories.
Because … the shortest distance between two points may be a straight line (and that’s a good thing in a road race), but it’s the most circuitous route between two points that makes for the best training run.
Because … you can never totally control your running performance and when you step up to the starting line in a race, there is no way to predict how you will feel or how fast you will run – and that’s probably what keeps us coming back for more.